SOAKED IN BHAKTHI BHAAVAM - Gayathri Venkataraghavan


SOAKED IN BHAKTHI  BHAAVAM


Gayathri Venkataraghavan opened her beautiful concert with a majestic Naattai raga varnam “Sarasijanabha” composed by Swathi Thirunal .

Papanasam Sivan’s Shanmugapriya composition “Aandavane unai nambinen” came in with a fresh fragrance of devotion embedded in it.

 A crisp and catchy Dhanyasi   aalapanai conquered the rasika’s heart. The violinist also portrayed a beautiful Dhanyasi. Shyama Sastry’s “Meenalochana Brova..”  was the song chosen.
A quick and a sharp Saalakabhairavi aalapani was followed by its violin display neatly as the vocalist proceeded to present Thyagaraja’s “Padhavini Sadbhakthi”. 
Then came the main item. The artiste decorated Kalyani with traditional beauty-cosmetics and adorned the ragam in an adorable manner. Her Paatanthiram and Manodharma  Sangeetham swelled like an overflowing stream ….but all within the prescribed limits. Violin replay of Kalyani was very nice. The song presented was Patnam Subramanya Aiyyar’s “Nijadasa varada”. The delineation at “Bhujagadhipa sayanaa Bhumijaa Ramanaa..” was awesome. The thaniaavarthanam that followed sparkled with brilliance.

The Ragam-Thanam-Pallavi session had Charukesi as the main ragam. Set in Khanda jathi Jampa Thaalam the verse chosen was “Guhaa Vaa…Muruga Vaa…Shanmuga Ni  Vaa…Gurupara…Kumara..” composed by Violin maestro Lalgudi Jayaraman.The Charukesi aalapanai was presented with a nadhaswara effect…purely soaked in bhakthi. The Pallavi session had touches of Revathi and Aahir bhairav…What a dedicated presentation…!
Saraswathi Vandhana song in Hemavathy/Saraswathy was once again with Bhakthi bhavam…”Jaya Jaya Hey Bhagavathy Sur Bharathy” was the number presented. After a Bhajan in Sindhubhairavi, Ambujam Krishna’s “Kannanidam eduthu solladi” was presented in Chenjurutti, Punnaga varali and Naadhanammakriya. Periyasami Thooran’s “Kaliyuga Varadhan..” in Brindhavana saranga was brimming with melody and bhakthi.
Then came “Manickam katti…Vayiram idaik katti, Aanip ponnaal seidha vanna siru thottil, Peni unakkup Piraman vidu thanthan…Manik kuralane thaalelo..Vaiyyam alanthaane thaalelo…” Peryazhwar Thirumozhi  in Nilambari. That was followed by Oothukkadu Venkatasubbaiyar’s “Mani nupura dhaari”….A mesmerizing Nilambari.

Instead of the usual Rajeeva nayana thyaga…….Gayathri Venkataraghavan presented Papanasam Sivan’s Mangalam “Sri Raama Jaya mangalam” in Surati with bhakthi once again…as the concluding piece. 

Gayathri Venkataraghavan's concert for Mudhra was soaked in Bhakthi Bhaavam. Every composition was a reflection of her deep involvement & dedication to music. Whatever she presented touched the heart & penetrated into the realms of the soul! An outstanding concert in every respect!

    About the Author:

SHANKAR VENKATRAMAN, a practising company secretary by profession, hails from a family with musical lineage. On the maternal side, his mother’s great grandfather Nemam Subramania Iyer was one of the last disciples of Saint Thyagaraja Swamigal. His maternal grandfather Nemam Nataraja Bhagavathar was the disciple of Mahavaidhyanatha Sivan and an Asthana Vidhwan of Sringeri Samasthanam. His son “Kalaimaamani” Prof N.S.Ramachandran was the Director of different  Kendras of All India Radio and the  Dean and Director of Music Department, University of Delhi. He had composed many kruthis out of which “Sri Chandrasekhara Yatheendram Aashrayae”on Sri Kanchi Paramacharya in Sankarabharanam popularized by Dr.M.S.Subbulakshmi and “Sree Maha Ganapathae..” in Aabhogi an evergreen hit of M.L.Vasanthakumari are very popular.

Shankar Venkatraman’s father (Late) K.V.Venkatraman, son of Kanjanur-Kottur S.Vaithyanatha Swamy Iyer was an ardent devotee of Sri Kanchi Paramacharya and had served as the Correspondence-in-charge for Sri Paramacharya while Shri Periyavaa was camping in Kumbakonam during 1930-31(When Periyavaa was referred as Kumbakonam Periyavaa). Sri Sengalipuram Anantharama Deekshithar is Vaithyanathaswamy Iyer’s maternal cousin.

Shankar did his schooling at Vidya Mandir, Mylapore (1968-1982) Chennai and obtained a Bachelor’s Degree in Commerce from Loyola College, Chennai. He did his Company Secretary course from the Institute of Company Secretaries of India, Chennai-600034.

(*The views and opinions expressed herein are those of the author and not necessarily those of Music of Madras.) 

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